Collapsible stand



June 16, 1953 ong 2,642,247

COLLAPSIBLE STAND Filed Feb. 4. 1950 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. G. BODE:

COLLAPSIBLE SI'AND June 16, 1953 Filed Feb. 4, 1950 .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m U m 6.50% tfwd g m w W Patented June 16, 1953 COLLAPSIIBLE STAND Robert G. Bode, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The 7 Norwood Company, Morton Grove,:Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application February 4, 1950, Serial No. 142,484

2 Claims. (01. 24 71) The present invention relates generally to stands. More particularly the invention relates to that type of stand which is primarily designed for use in supporting sheet music and the like in an elevated position with respect to the floor and as its principal components or parts comprises: (1) an extensible standard which carries at its upper end a tiltable or angularly adjustable rack and has at its lower end a fixedly mounted bracket with three equidistantly spaced pairs of outwardly extending lugs; (2) three straight legs which have certain ends thereof pivotally connected to the pairs of lugs on the bracket in order that they are, capable of swinging upwards and downwards; (3) a sleeve which is slidably mounted on the lower end o'fthe standard above the bracket and has three equidistantly spaced pairs of outwardly extending lugs; and (4) three upwardly extending links which have the lower ends thereof pivotally connected to the central portions of the legs and their upper ends pivotally connected to the pairs of lugs on the sleeve and are adapted when-the sleeve is slid downwards towards the bracket to swing the legs downwards into a position wherein they extenddownwards and outwards and form a tripod support for the standard and when the sleeve is slid upwards away from the bracketto cause the legs to swing upwards and inwards into collapsed position wherein they extend insub stantially parallel relation with the standard;

- .It has heretofore been proposed in connection with a music standof the aforementioned type to provide the slidably mounted sleeve with-a transversely extending set screw for securing it in place.

to the sleeve and thereby result incollapse'of the 7 legs. Secondly, if, in connection withsliding of the sleeve with respect 'to the standard, theset screw is not loosened completely the innerend of: the set screw so abrades or roughens the standard as to preclude, ready sliding movement of the sleeve. I

One object of theiinvention is to provide in connection with a music stand'of the type under consideration. a latch which is simple'in design and construction and is adapted when the sleeve is slid downwards in order to swing the legs into their operative tripod forming position to assume a latched position wherein it serves until released positively to hold the sleeve against upward sliding movement with respect to the bracket on the lower end of the standard and thus prevents accidental collapse of the legs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latch of the aforementioned character which is in the form of a vertically elongated sheet metal stamping, has the lower end thereof riveted to certain of the outwardly extending lugs on the bracket at the lower end of the standard of the stand, embodies at its upper end an upper pair of spaced apart inwardly extending fingers, and is adapted to have its upper end flex outwards into an unlatched positionand inwards into a latched position'wherein its upper fingers are arranged in overlying or hooked relation with the upper end of the sleeve after downward sliding of the sleeve towardthe bracket in order to swing the legs into their operativetripod forming position.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a latch of the type and character under consideration in which the upper ends of the inwardly extending upper fingers are inwardly and downwardly inclined to provide cam surfaces which, when the sleeve is slid downwards almost to its fullest extent, are engaged by the lower end of the sleeve and coact therewith to flex the upper end of the latch outwards into its unlatched position torthe end that the upper end of the latch will automatically andwith avsnap action flex into its latched position after the sleeve is slid downwards to its fullest extent wherein it is disposed beneath the upper inwardly extending fingers.

A further'object of the invention is to provide a latch of the aforementioned character which embodies at a small distance beneath the upper inwardly extending fingers a pair of lower inwardlyextending fingers which are arranged in straddled relation with the lower end of the standard, serve to limit outward flexing of the upper end of the latch into its unlatched position and are adapted when the latch is in its latched position after full downward sliding of the sleeve towards the bracket to underlie the lower end of the sleeve and prevent further downward sliding of thesleeve with respect to the stand. V

A still further object of the invention is to provide in connection with a music stand of the time under consideration a leg locking latch which eifectively and efliciently fulfills its intended pur-.

pose and is capable of being produced at an extremely low cost.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present music stand leg locking latch will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the. several novel. features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings which accompany and forma. part of this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a music stand having a latch embodyingtheginvention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side olevation showing the latch in its operative or latched position wherein it serves to hold the sleeve against upward or downward sliding movement with respect to the standard after it has been slid downwards towards the bracket in order to swing the legs of the stand into their operative tripod forming position;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the. line 3-3 of Figure 2 and illustrating in detail the construction and design of the slidably mounted sleeve on the lower end of the standard;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the. line 4-4 of Figure 2 showing the construction and design of the lug equipped bracket on the lower end of the standard;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical section showing the latch in its operative or latched position;

Figure 6 is a perspective of the lug equipped bracket of the stand; I

Figure '7 is a perspective of the slidably mounted sleeve of the stand; and r Figure 8 is anenlarged vertical section showing the lower end of the standard of the standaiter the sleeve has been slid upwards so as toeiTect through the medium of thethree links upward folding and-collapsing of the legs of the stand.

The music stand which is. shown in the drawings is equipped with-a latch which constitutes the preferred form or embodiment of the invention. It is of conventional or standard design except for the latch and is designated: generally in the drawings by the reference numeral I 0. The latch is designated by the reference numeral I-l'.

The stand Ill comprises an extensible standard I2, a rack I3 at the upper end of the standard, a bracket I4 at the lower end of the standard, three legs I for supporting the standard in an upright position, a slidabl-y mounted sleeve 16 on the lower end of the standard, and three links IT. The standard I2 consists of a tubular lower member It and a rod-like upper member I9. These two members are telescopi-- cally connected together as the result of the. lower end of the upper member fitting slidably within the upper end of the lower member. The upper end of the lower member I.8.of the. standard is provided with a clamp. type bracket 20 for releasably securing. the. upper member l9 inthe. various positions into which. itais. slid relatively to the lower member. The rack .13: is. adapted; to. support sheet. music and the. like. and extends upwards and rearwards. and is. suitably connected to the. upper end of the upper mereber IQ of the. standard. in order that-it. may be 75 tilted forwards or rearwards into different angular positions. The bracket I4 of the stand is in the form of a one-piece sheet metal stamping and extends around and is fixedly secured to the lower end of the lower member I8 of the standard. It is provided with three equidistantly spaced pairs of outwardly and upwardly extending lugs 2|. As best-shown in Figure 6, the two lugs of each pair are spaced laterally apart a small distance. The three legs I5 of the stand are straight and rigid. Certain of the ends of the legs fit within the pairs of lugs 2I and are pivotally connected to the lugs by horizontal rivets 22 inorder that the legs are capable of being swung upwards and downwards. The rivets 22 extend through aligned holes in the lugs. and said certain ends of the legs I5 and have heads at their ends whereby they are held against axial displacement with respect to the lugs 2|. The sleeve It extends around the lower end of the lower member I8 of the standard and is located above, and slidable towards and. away from, the lug equipped bracket I4. It is in the form of a one-piece. sheet metal stamping and is provided with three equidistantly spaced pairs of outwardly extending lugs 23. The latter are. substantially in vertical alignment with the outwardly and upwardly extending lugs 2I on the. fixedly mounted bracket I4. As shown in Figure 7., the two lugs of each pair of lugs 23 on the sleeve lii are spaced a small distance apart. The three links I! are associated with the legs I5 respectively. They extend upwardsand are straight and'rigid. The lower ends of the. links l3 are pivotally connected to the central portions of the legs I5 by horizontally extending rivets 24' and the upper ends of. the links fit within, and are the pairs of lugs 2-3 on, the sleeve I6 and are pivotally connected thereto by way of horizontal rivets 25 which extend through aligned holes in the lugs 23 and the upper ends of the links and have enlarged heads at their ends for holding them against longitudinal or axial displacement. When the sleeve. I6 is slid toward. the bracket I I on the lower end of the lower member I8 of the standard I2 the. links H move downwards and operate to swing the legs I5. downwards into an operative position wherein they extend. downwards and outwards and. form. a. tripod support for the standard, (see Figures 1, 2 and 5).. When the sleeve I6 is slid upwards away from the bracket I4. the links 11. move upwards and cause the legs. I5 to swing. upwards and inwards into a collapsed position wherein they extend in substantially parallel relation with the standard. as shown in Figure 8 and. well, understood in the art.

The latch II, as. heretofore indicated, serves releasably to lock the legs I5 in place, after they have. been swung downwards into their opera.- tive tripod forming position as. the. result: 01 downward sliding of the: sleeve, 16. inthe direc tion of the lug, equipped bracket. M. It is designed or adapted to coact with; the. sleeve. and is in the: 'form of a vertically elongated one.- piecestamping of spring metal stock. shownin Figures 1, 2,5 and 8; the latch II is located adjacent and extends lengthwise ofthe lower end of the lower member I8 of the extensible standard I2. The lower end of the latch is shaped to form two outwardly extending laterally spaced attaching ears'Z-S; The latter extend at an obtuse angle with respect to on'e another, fit: against; the nearer lugs of twoof the pairs of lugs on the bracket; I '4 that are secured in place by the rivets which extend through the into their operative tripod forming position to,

overlie the upper end of the sleeve I6and'coact therewith in such manner as to lock the sleeve against upward sliding movement relatively to the lower end of the lower member of the standard. When the upper fingers 21 are in overlying or hooked relation with the upper end of the sleeve the legs l5 are secured in place and will not collapse or swing upwards due to a heavy downward force on the standard. The upper ends of the fingers 2'! are inwardly and downwardly inclined to provide cam surfaces 28.for automatically causing the latch to flex outwards into its unlatched position when thesleeve I6 is slid downwards in connection with shiftof the legs I5 into their operativetripod forming posi-' tion. When the sleeve I6 is slid downwards so that the lower end thereof engages the cam surface 28 further down-ward sliding movement of the sleeve results in camming the latch outwards into its unlatched position so that the sleeveis free to slide past the upper fingers 27. As soon as the sleeve slides downwards past the fingers the latch, dne to its inherent resiliency, flexes inwards with .a spring action into its latched position wherein, as previously pointed out, the fingers 2'! overlie the upperend of the sleeve and hence prevent upward sliding of the sleeve with respect to the standard and, resultant collapsing of the legs I5. The upper extremityofwthe latch is shaped to form an outwardly extending handle 29 which may be grasped when it is,

desired manually to flex the latch outwards into its unlatched position so as to release the sleeve I6 so that itmay be slid upwards away from the bracket I4 to eifect collapsing of the legs I5. At a point a small distance beneath the upper fingers 21 the upper end of the latch I I is shaped to form a pair'of spaced apart lower fingers 30. These lower fingers are spacedbeneath the upper fingers 2'! a distance slightly in} excess of the length of thesleeve I 6 and are arranged in straddled relation with the lower'end of thelower member I8 of the standard. They have a twofold purpose in that they serve to limit outward flexing of the latch into its unlatched position and also prevent downward sliding of the sleeve I6 towards the bracket I4 after the sleeve has been slid past the upper fingers in connection with swinging of the legs I5 into their operative tripod forming position. The outer or free ends of the lower fingers 30 are bent inwards to form stops 3| which, when the latch is flexed outwards to a predetermined extent, engage the lower end of the lower member of the standard and thus prevent further outer flexing of the intermediate and upper end portions of the latch. When the latch is in its latched position while the sleeve is directly beneath the upper fingers 2!v the lower fingers 30 underlie the lower end of the sleeve I6 and thus lock the sleeve against further downward sliding .movement toward the bracket -I4. The upper and lower inwardly exefi'iciently fulfills its intended tending fingers-of the latch straddle the sleeve I6 when the legs I5 are in their proper, operative position and'hence lock the legs against swing ing movement. v

When it is desired to use the music stand the sleeve I6 is slid downwards so that the links I1, as hereinbefore described, swing downwards. the legs I5. As soon as the lower end of the sleeve is. brought into engagement with the cam surfaces 28 further downward sliding movement of the sleeve results in automatic outward flexing of the latch into its unlatched position. As soon,

as the sleeve, in connection with further downward sliding movement thereof, passes .the upperfingers 2'I. the latch automatically flexes inwards into its latched position wherein the upper and lower fingers straddle the sleeve and thus prevent either upward or downward displacement. or sliding movement of the sleeve relatively to the lower end of the lower member of. the standard. When, after use of the stand, it is desired to collapse the legs I5 the handle 29 on the upper end of the latch is swung outwardsso as to flex the latch into its unlatched I position. While the latch is in such position the sleeve I 6 is slid upwards away from the bracket I4, so as to cause, through the medium of the links I1, the legs I5 to swingupwards and inwards into their collapsed position wherein they 7 extend substantially parallel to the lower end of the standard. a

' The herein described latch is essentially simple in design and construction-and hence may be "produced at a low cost. It effectively and a purpose insofar as it serves when in latched relation with the sleeve to prevent'collapse of the legs I5 of the stand.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified withinthe scope of the appended claims without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

'1. In combination with a music stand of the type that comprises a standard, a bracket mounted fixedly on the lower end of the standard and provided with equidistantly spaced outwardly with, the legs, having the lower ends thereof pivotally connected to the central portions of the legs and their upper ends pivotally connected to the sleeve, and adapted when the sleeve is slid downwards towards the bracket to swing the legs downwards into an operative position and W when the sleeve is slid upwards away from the bracket to swing the legs upwards into a collapsed position wherein they extend alongside the lower end of the standard, a vertically extending latch in the form of a one-piece stamping of spring metal, operative releasably to hold the legs in their operative position, having the lower end thereof provided with a pair of integral laterally spaced outwardly extending ears in connected relation with certain of the lugs on the bracket, arranged so that its intermediate and upper end portions are free to flex toward the standard into 9: latched position and away from the standard into an unlatched position, and provided at its upper end with integral vertically spacedinwardly extending upper and lower pairs of fingers adapted when the legs are in their operative position and said portions of the latch are in their latched position to straddle the sleeve in such manner as positively to prevent upward and downward sliding movement of said sleeve, the

upper ends of the upper fingers being inclined downwards and inwards in the direction of the standard to provide cam surfaces which areadapted', when the sleeve in connection withdownward swinging of the legs approaches the end of its downward sliding movement, to be engagedby the lower end of thesleeve' and to coact therewith to cam said intermediate and upper end portions of the latch into their unlatch'ed position in order to permit the sleeve to slide downwards past said upper fingers, said portions of the latch being adapted immediately after thesleeve is slid downwards past the upper fingers to flex inwards with a snap action into their latched position and thus cause the upper and lower fingers to be brought into-straddled relation with the sleeve, the lower fingers being arranged in lapped relationwith opposite side portions of the lower end of the standard and having the free ends thereof bent inwards to form steps for limiting outward fiexure of said intermediate and upper end portions of the latch into their unlatched position.

2. In combination with amusic stand of the" type that comprises a standard, a bracket mounted fixedly on the lower end of the standard and provided with equidistantly spaced outwardly extending lugs, a plurality of legshaving certain ends thereof pivotally connected to the lugs on the bracket so that they are capable of swinging upwards and downwards relatively to the'standard, a sleeve mounted on the standard above the bracket to slide to and from the latter, and a plurality of upwardly extending links corresponding in number to, and associated respectively with, the legs, having the lower ends thereof pivotally connected to the central portions of the legs and their upper ends pivotally connected to the sleeve, and adapted when the sleeve is slid downwards towards the bracket to swing the legs downwards into an operative position and when the sleeve is slid upwards away from the bracket to swing thelegs upwards into a collapsed position wherein they extend alongside the lower end of the standard, a vertically extending latch in the form of a one-piece stamping of spring metal, operative releasablyto hold the legs their operative position having the lower end thereof prc ivided with a pair of integral laterally spaced outwardly extending ears in connectedrelation with certain of the lugs on the bracket;-

adapted when the legs are in their operative posi tion. and said portions of the latch are in their latched position to straddle the sleeve in suchmanner as positively to prevent upward and downward sliding movement of said sleeve, the upper ends of the upper fingers being incfined downwards and: inwards in the. direction of the standard to provide cam surfaceswhich are adapted, when the sleeve in connection with downward swinging of the legs approaches the end'of its downward sliding movement, to be engaged by the lower end of the sleeve and to coact therewith to: cam said intermediate and upper end portions of the latch intotheir unlat'ched position in order to permit the sleeve to slide downwards past said upper fingers, said portions of the latch being'ad'apted immediately after the sleeve is slid downwards past the upper fingers to flex inwards with a snap action into their latched position and thus cause the upper and lower fingers to bebrought into' straddled rela tion with; the sleeve, the lower fingers being ar ranged-in lapped-relation with opposite side por- 'tions of the lower end of the standard and having the free ends thereofbent inwards to form steps for limiting outward" fiexure of said intermediate and upper end portions of the latch into their unlatchcd' position, theupper extremity of the latch beingbent outwards and'shaped to-form an integral handle whereby the latch may be grasped in connection with flexingof the intermediate and upper end portions thereof intotheir unlatched position.

Krauth lMar.-11, 193G 

